Natural Soap Colorants

Soap Making Resource offers a large variety of natural soap colorants along with complete information on how to use them. This is a superb resource for all soap makers who would like to color their products 100% all naturally without synthetics or chemicals. Below you will find a list of the natural soap colors available for sale and a growing amount of links to informational pages about each natural dye.

The natural soap colorants that are offered come in a variety of forms. Some are powdered, some are whole, and some are C/S (cut and sifted) which means the botanical is cut into very small pieces and the powder and smaller chunks are sifted out. For your convenience, next to each colorant I have identified the form that the soap color is sold in.

Also described are the ways in which each colorant can be used in soap making. Some can be added directly to the soap during trace while other soap making colorants are best used when infused into one of your liquid oils being used in your recipe. The infusion process is very simple and very quick... not to mention fun! Simply place a portion of the natural soap colorant into your liquid oil and apply a low steady heat until your oil reaches the desired soap color. You can use a crock pot or your cook top surface as your heat source for infusing. Alternately, you can use the much slower "cold jar method" by allowing your soap making colorants to soak in the oil for a few weeks before using it to create your product.

I like to use olive oil for my infusions, but other oils can certainly be infused with great success. Infusions are wonderful because it prevents your soap from being gritty as the color is extracted from the botanical and the actual plant parts are drained out before using the oil to make soap. Please note that most of the powdered natural soap colorants can be added at trace if you so desire but may add a texturizing affect to your product.

Activated Charcoal (Powder)

Activated charcoal powder will give your soap a marvelous deep black color. This natural soap colorant looks especially nice swirled into your soap as it contrast well against other brighter colors. I use activated charcoal powder at the rate of 1 tablespoon per pound of oils. This amount will offer a nice deep black without discoloring the lather. Add the activated charcoal to your batch at the beginning of trace.

1/4 Pound:$7.631/2 Pound:$12.721 Pound:$20.35

Activated Charcoal (Powder):

Alkanet Root (Powder) 10% Off(Out of Stock)

Alkanet root will color your soap anywhere from a pinkish red to a bluish purple. The shade of color largely depends on how much alkanet is used and what other ingredients are used in your recipe. For beautiful results, use oils in your recipe that produce a relatively white soap and try to avoid fragrance or essential oils that will drastically change the shade of your product. Here's how I recommend that you use alkanet root as a natural soap colorant: First, infuse olive oil with the alkanet root at the rate of 2.5 tablespoons per pound of olive oil. After the alkanet is successfully infused, use the infused olive oil in your recipe as usual. Remember... the higher percentage of infused olive oil that you use in your recipe, the deeper the shade will be. It's easy and fun to use this natural soap color!

Annatto Seeds (Whole) (Out of Stock)

Annatto seeds will color your soap a mild yellow to bright orange, depending on how much you use. This is another one of the natural soap colorants that needs to be infused in oil before being used to color soap. Infuse at the rate of about 1 - 2 teaspoons of annatto seeds per pound of oil. The amount of annatto seeds you decide to infuse will depend on how dark you want the color. Simply use the infused olive oil in your soap recipe. A lower percentage of infused olive oil in your soap will give a lighter color while a higher percentage will give a darker color. Have fun with this great natural soap colorant!

1/4 Pound:$3.28Out of Stock1/2 Pound:$5.47Out of Stock1 Pound:$8.75Out of Stock

Black Walnut Hull (Powder)

Black walnut hull powder will give your soap a rich brown color. A little goes a long way with this all natural soap colorant. All you need to do is add at trace only 1/4 teaspoons per pound of oils for a lovely light brown. For a deep dark brown use up to 1/2 teaspoon of black walnut hull per pound of oils. This is a great natural soap color for swirling as it contrasts well against other lighter colors.

1/4 Pound:$4.861/2 Pound:$8.101 Pound:$12.96

Black Walnut Hull (Powder):

Burdock Leaf (C/S) (Out of Stock)

Burdock leaf will color your soap a very nice shade of green. This is yet another of the fun natural soap colorants that need to be infused in oil before adding it to your soap recipe. Using burdock leaf to color your soap naturally is easy... Simply throw a few burdock leaves into your oil, infuse it using heat or the cold jar method, and then allow the infused oil to take up a moderate to large percentage of your recipe depending on the shade of green you are going for. Enjoy that nice natural green!

1/4 Pound:$5.68Out of Stock1/2 Pound:$9.46Out of Stock1 Pound:$15.13Out of Stock

Cocoa (Powder)

Natural cocoa powder will color your soap a beautiful chocolate brown hue. At a light trace, simply add 1 teaspoon of natural cocoa powder per pound of soap for a medium chocolate brown color and adjust from there depending on your desired shade! Not only will cocoa powder give your creation a fabulous chocolate brown hue, but it will also impart a light cocoa scent to your finished product!

1/4 Pound:$4.921/2 Pound:$8.221 Pound:$13.15

Cocoa (Powder):

Comfrey Leaf (Powder)

Comfrey leaf will give your soap a beautiful natural green color. Simply add the powder at a light trace and stir into the soap. This happens to be one of the natural soap colorants that work very well by adding the powdered botanical at trace. When adding this soap color to your batch, I would use approximately 1 tablespoon per pound of oils. Alternately, you can infuse the powder into one of your liquid oils before using the oil in your recipe. If you decide to infuse your comfrey, do so at the rate of 1 part comfrey leaf powder to 2 parts oil.

Dandelion Leaf (C/S) (Out of Stock)

Dandelion leaf is another wonderful green natural soap colorant. Dandelion leaf can be used in powdered form added at a light trace. About 1 - 2 tablespoons should be used per pound of oils. Alternately, you can infuse one of your liquid oil with this herb.

1/4 Pound:$4.00Out of Stock1/2 Pound:$6.67Out of Stock1 Pound:$10.64Out of Stock

French Green Clay

Unlike most of the other green natural soap colorants, this color is derived from natural clay, not from a botanical. French green clay should be added to your hot soap making oils at the rate of 1 tablespoon per pound of oils for a beautiful shade. French green clay is a very popular skin care ingredient. Enjoy!

1/4 Pound:$4.381/2 Pound:$7.301 Pound:$12.05

French Green Clay:

Indigo (Powder)20% Off(Out of Stock)

Indigo powder will create a beautiful blue hue in your soaps. The shade is very similar to that of blue denim. A little goes a VERY long way with this natural soap colorant. Use just 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon per pound of soap!

If you are looking for a lighter sky blue shade, try woad powder, another blue natural soap colorant. You will find woad powder listed at the bottom of this page.

1/2 Ounce:$7.6520% off Sale: $6.12Out of Stock1 Ounce:$11.9120% off Sale: $9.52Out of Stock1/8 Pound:$18.8520% off Sale: $15.08Out of Stock1/4 Pound:$33.0020% off Sale: $26.40Out of Stock1/2 Pound:$45.48 (New Size) Out of Stock1 Pound:$82.56 (New Size) Out of Stock

Madder Root (Powder) (Out of Stock)

Of all the red natural soap colorants out there, madder root powder is probably the most popular for soap making as it offers a beautiful shade! Depending on how much is used, It will give your soap a very nice light pink color to a deep, rich red hue that many will marvel over. Who says natural soap colorants can't be bright and vibrant? This soap making colorant is great for swirls too as it contrasts very well against other soap colors. Just add about 1 tablespoon per pound of oils at a light trace. You can use more if you're looking for a darker red.

1/4 Pound:$5.27Out of Stock1/2 Pound:$9.72Out of Stock1 Pound:$18.32Out of Stock

Moroccan Red Clay (Out of Stock)

Moroccan red clay will give your soap a nice red hue. It is one of the more stable natural soap colorants out there. Use at the rate of one tablespoon of clay per pound of oils. Adjust the amount for different shades of red. Here's an idea... try combining madder root powder with Moroccan red clay for a unique shade of red.

1/4 Pound:$5.27Out of Stock1/2 Pound:$8.78Out of Stock1 Pound:$14.04Out of Stock

Nettle Leaf (Powder) (Out of Stock)

Of all the green natural soap colorants, nettle leaf offers shades closest to lime green. Add about 1 tablespoon of nettle leaf powder per pound of oils. Include more or less depending on the shade you are going for. If you prefer, you can infuse one of your liquid soap making oils with the nettle leaf powder and use the infused oil as usual in your soap recipe. Both ways work very well. Enjoy this unique natural green soap colorant.

1/4 Pound:$4.30Out of Stock1/2 Pound:$7.16Out of Stock1 Pound:$11.45Out of Stock

Paprika (Powder)

Paprika will give your soap a peach to melon orange depending on how much is used. This soap making colorant works wonderfully when infused into a liquid oil being used in your recipe. Once the powder is successfully infused and the excess paprika is strained out, you won't have any problems with scratchiness in your bar. Alternately, you can add the paprika powder at trace at the rate of 1/2 - 1 tablespoon per pound of oils, deepening on how dark you want your color. As the paprika powder is added directly to your soap, this may cause your bar to be scratchy and freckled. The infusion method is definitely best for this particular natural soap colorant.

1/4 Pound:$3.651/2 Pound:$6.071 Pound:$9.72

Paprika (Powder):

Safflower (Powder) (Out of Stock)

Safflower powder produces a pretty yellow in soap when added at trace. Use at the rate of about 1 - 2 teaspoons per pound of oils. You can incorporate more or less depending on the shade you are going for.

1/4 Pound:$13.76Out of Stock1/2 Pound:$26.64Out of Stock1 Pound:$50.76Out of Stock

Sandalwood, Red (Powder)

Red Sandalwood powder will produce from a purplish red to a maroon color in your soap. This is one of the natural soap colorants that react substantially to the PH level of your product. A lower PH level will result in more red while a higher PH level results in more purple. A little goes a long way with this natural soap color. Use only 1/2 - 1 teaspoon per pound of oils.

1/4 Pound:$8.111/2 Pound:$13.511 Pound:$23.42

Sandalwood, Red (Powder):

Spirulina (Powder)

Spirulina powder is an all natural blue-green algae that will produce a beautiful bluish green hue in your homemade soap. Simply add 1/2 - 2 teaspoons of spirulina powder to your soap at trace or infuse this colorant into one of your liquid oils and add the colored oil to your batch. You will absolutely love spirulina powder for producing a unique all natural shade in your product!

Turmeric (Powder) (Out of Stock)

Turmeric will cause your soap to turn a lovely dark yellow color. Just add about 1/4 teaspoon per pound of oils at trace for a beautiful yellow soap. It will make a perfect color for your citrus scent blends. Enjoy!

1/4 Pound:$2.28Out of Stock1/2 Pound:$3.79Out of Stock1 Pound:$6.07Out of Stock

Woad (Powder)Out of Stock

Woad powder can be used to give your soaps a very nice sky blue color. The hue produced by this natural colorant is absolutely gorgeous! Only a little bit is needed for each batch of soap. Anywhere from 1/8 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon can be used per pound of soap depending on the strength of color you are going for.

If you are looking for a different shade of blue, like that of denim, try the indigo powder that's listed above.

Thanks for taking the time to learn about these wonderful soap colors that are all natural and synthetic free. If you have any questions about the natural soap colorants discussed on this page, please don't hesitate to contact me via this form. I'm here to help! Have fun exploring the rest of soap-making-resource.com.